Page 110 of Colt

I swerved left to avoid the bag hitting me in the face. “Calm the fuck down, Freya,” I grunted, grabbing her hands.

A frustrated angry noise escaped her throat, and she threw me off before rolling up on her toes, getting in my face and screaming. “Fuck you!”

My stomach dropped, and I cursed myself for forgetting about her. “Freya, stop. I’m sorry, okay?” I pleaded, ducking again to avoid another swing at my head. “I must have lost track of time and fallen asleep at my desk.”

“Lost track of time?” she screeched, tossing her long dark hair so it cascaded down her back like a waterfall. “Do you know how long I waited for you? Or how many lies I had to tell Dad so I could sneak out for the night just to see your sorry ass?”

“Jesus, woman, listen to me,” I demanded as my hands went up defensively as if I was trying to calm a wild animal. I took a breath, mind whirring over how the fuck I was gonna get out of this latest dick move. “Baby, I know I messed up, and I’m sorry, but I can’t go back and change it. What I can do is apologize and promise it won’t happen again. I’ll do everythin’ I can to make it right.”

“You mean buy me more clothes? Or shut me up with more dates you don’t keep?” She let out a humorless snort. “I don’t fucking think so. I’m done with being pushed to the side. You’re the one who wanted this.Youaskedme. You promised nothing would change when we got home. You said we’d make time for each other. Jesus, Colt. You’d rather fall asleep at your desk than make the effort to spend time with me.” She shook her head exasperatedly. “I fucking lay there for hours in lingerie, like an idiot, waiting for you to walk through the door. I would never treat you that way.” Freya’s tone was sharp, and hurt flashed behind her golden-brown eyes.

I could feel my face growing hotter as her words sliced into me, the weight of her disappointment landing like a physical blow. My eyes darted between hers trying to convey how sorry I was.

“All I can do is apologize,” I muttered, running my fingers through my hair frustratedly. “I just forgot.”

“You forgot?” she snarled; her beautiful face contorted in disbelief. “You knew how important last night was to me. Jesus, we’d arranged it hours before. You promised, and you still let me down.”

My chest tightened, heat flaring in my lungs. “Jesus, woman. I’ve been workin’ my ass off to get the club set for when I leave. I’ve got a lotta shit to take care of, why can’t you gimme a fuckin’ break? Ya think I like bein’ glued to my desk? You think I enjoy not even havin’ the time to take a long shit? Why can’t you be more understanding?”

Her head reared back, all color draining from her face. “I’ll tell you why I’m not more understanding. I don’t trust you anymore because all I heard you say in your little speech just then was whenIleave, you didn’t sayweorus.” Her mouth went slack. “So, tell me, what are the plans for whenweleave? What aboutus,Colt?”

Chest twisting, I looked to the heavens shaking my head. Suddenly, I felt more pissed off than apologetic. Why was she pushing me for answers I didn’t have? “I don’t fuckin know yet.”

She just stared at me, and I watched her gorgeous eyes fill with pain.

I heaved out a breath. “Give me time.”

One side of her mouth hitched, as if I’d said something funny.

“What’s your fuckin’ problem?” I demanded, grabbing her shoulder. “What do you want from me, Freya?”

“I want the same thing I thought you wanted, for us to leave, together. You’ve changed your mind, haven’t you?” she croaked.

I scrubbed a hand over my face.

It wasn’t that I’d changed my mind per se, everything just seemed to be going at a hundred miles an hour. One minute we were friends, the next we were talking about spending our lives together. It was overwhelming and, quite frankly, daunting as fuck. I wasn’t used to going fast, I liked having time to think things through, but with everything else I had to deal with, I felt like I was fighting a losing battle, and it was wearing me down.

She must’ve taken my silence as confirmation because her eyes filled with tears, and she nodded. “I see.”

“No, baby, listen,” I begged. “I just need some space to concentrate on the club. I love you.”

Freya swiped furiously at her cheeks. “You can have all the space you want.”

“What the fuck are you talkin’ about?” I demanded.

She stared up at me, eyes sliding over my face like she was drinking me in. “You’re not ready for me.”

My gut clenched. “What do you mean I’m not ready?”

She pointed to me then to her. “This. Us.Me.You’re not ready. You need more time.”

My heart ached at the pain slashing across her face. “I’ll be okay, baby. I’ll catch up. I promise.”

“Please don’t,” she whispered. “Stop making promises you can’t keep. Ever since we’ve been back you’ve done all you can to avoid me. I have to get angry with you to get any attention and even then, you say the right thing but it’s just to placate me.”

I rubbed at the pain shooting through my chest. “I love you, baby.”

She let out a sob before pulling her shoulders back and taking a deep breath to get her hurt under control. “I know. I love you too, but it’s not working. The timing’s all wrong.”

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